Do Rats Climb In Windows [How to Keep them out ]

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Are you finding odd bite marks on your house furniture and wire? The chances are that there is a rat invasion in your home. Rats are attracted to the places that provide them with food and shelter. They will sneak into the house through any open spaces. You must be wondering, do rats climb in windows? 

Rats are exceptional climbers and can climb almost everything. Rough and uneven surfaces of the building structure are effortless for rats to climb. They can get inside homes through small holes or crack in windows, doors, and walls.

Read the article to find more detail about rats’ invasion of buildings through windows. 

Do Rats Climb Through Windows?

Rats Climb Through Windows

Rats can sneak inside through holes as small as two centimeters. Rats are excellent climbers. They can climb in through any crack or hole in windows. The main reason rats will break into your house through the window is for food and shelter.

Many people do not realize they have a rat’s invasion until they hear squeaking sounds in the middle of the night or find chewing marks on household things.

How Do I Keep Rats Out Of My Windows?

Rats are tiny annoying creatures that get inside through anything. It is essential to find ways to prevent rats from sneaking into your house through windows. When a rat gets inside your home, it will damage the furniture, appliances, clothing, and anything it can chew. 

Given below are the five tricks to keep rats out of the window. 

Repair The Damaged Window

Damaged Window

Rats cannot open windows or doors; they can get inside the house through an open or broken window.

Seal any holes in your window sills and check the window for cracks. If the window has any cracks or damage, replace it immediately. Before leaving your house or sleeping, ensure that all the house windows are securely closed.

When rats get inside your home, they probably will never escape. They are really good at hiding. 

Keep The Area Around Your Property Clean.

It is equally important to keep your house and surrounding area clean. When you clean the house inside but ignore your garden or the alley behind dirty, it will attract the rats.

Therefore, keep the area around your house upright. If you have a garden, remove bushes and shrubs regularly, as overgrown vegetation provides a nesting place for rats. 

Seal The Trash In Plastic Bags.

Trash In Plastic Bags

Rats have sensitive olfactory receptors. They can smell food from miles away. Therefore, before throwing leftovers, seal them in plastic bags. 

Never leave the garbage or your daily household trash near windows or doors. I recommend not to place the trash cans outside until it is collecting day.

Use Natural Repellents.

Natural repellents

Many plants act as natural rat repellents, including eucalyptus, peppermint, pepper, oregano, onion, garlic, tomatoes, daffodils, rosemary, lavender, and marigold. 

Grow these plants in your house or garden, or you can also place them on window sills. If you cannot grow plants around your property, you can use peppermint oil or crushed pepper and garlic spray. 

Glue Boards

Glue Boards

When you are sure of the rats sneaking inside through the windows, use glue boards to catch them. It will take multiple attempts to catch rats on the glue board.

Place glue boards inside your house and in the surrounding. After placing the glue boards, check them regularly. Discard the board properly in plastic bags if there is a dead rat on it.

What Can Rats Climb Up?

drain pipes

Rats can climb up vertical walls and slide inside walls, drain pipes, vents, windows, ac ducts, and attics. It is easy for them to climb on uneven and rough surfaces like concrete, wood, brick, and metal. However, they cannot climb on smooth interior surfaces like tiles and glass. 

Rats are also good swimmers. They enter the inside home through toilet bowls or other drainage holes. It was found that sewerage lines are the main reason for rats’ infestation in residential areas. 

What Attracts Rats To Your House?

leaking water pip

There are multiple factors that attract rats to your house. Listed below are the six mains out of many reasons 

  • Rats are attracted to food and shelter. They will invade any place with plenty of food sources and is cozy enough to build a nest.
  • Overflowing garbage bins inside or near your house will provide them with a lot of food. Pet food and pet waste are also delicious meals for rats.
  • Surprisingly rats like to drink fresh and clean water. Any leaking water pipe will provide rats with enough reasons to build nests near your house.
  • A Garden with many fruits and vegetables is the best place for rats to burrow. The overgrown vegetation will make a perfect nesting place.
  • Dirty and unkept homes will provide a rat with a lot of nesting space and food.

How Do You Stop Rats From Climbing?

YouTube video

To prevent rats from invasion your house, you must find a way to stop them from climbing onto your walls and windows. Below are the four ways to prevent rats from climbing.

  • Rats can jump almost two meters in the air. Therefore, remove any bushes, vines, or trees too close to the house walls and windows as they will serve as a ladder for rats.
  • If you have any man-made structures like poles too close to the house wall, get rid of them.
  • Use highly polished surfaces on your house structure like tiles and glass.
  • Install hardware clothes or metal sheets near windows and doors. Rats cannot climb or chew on hard metal surfaces.

Will Rats Leave On Their Own?

Rats will probably never leave your house until you get rid of their food sources or use repellents. There are many natural and artificial repellents that will scare away the rats. You can also seal the rat’s hole to make them leave your property.

Why Do Rats Run Along Walls?

Walls

Rats run along walls to find suitable places to build a nest. When they find an area near the food resources and water, they will look for a place to live and build a nest.

Rats can chew through concrete and brick. Therefore, it is easy for them to chew inside the wall to make a cozy and comfortable nest. Inside the wall, the rat will build a tunnel to the food sources. These tunnels can also lead inside residential buildings. 

How To Seal Off Rat Entry Points?

There are several methods to seal off a rat entry point. To fill the large holes in the walls, pour cement or expansion foam inside them.

To prevent rats from breaking in through windows and doors, use half-inch thick hardware cloth with a mesh of two millimeters. 

Conclusion

Rats’ infestation can be a nightmare for any house owner. They must find ways to get rid of them. Unfortunately, they are excellent climbers and swimmers. They will climb on anything to find their way inside the house. Rats are attracted to the food and shelter inside homes. 

Uneven surfaces like concrete and bricks are easy for them to climb. However, they cannot jump on smooth tile and glass. They get inside the house through cracks and holes in windows, doors, and walls. 

I hope, this article must have answered all your questions.

References

The Royal Society

Newzealand Journal of Zoology